Safe for bay use?

[SweeperForce]

I have an 18 ft fish/ski fiberglass boat with a pretty low transom. I would like to take her out in the northern part of the Chesapeake. I'm just worried about swamping. I have noticed that when i slow down after running wot and the water catches up to me, my splash well fills up. Here are two photos of my boat in the Susquehanna river notice how low the stern is in the water.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[dingbat]

Pick your days and you'll be fine........ unless you get broadsided by a wake from a passing freighter, then all bets are off.

 

[dingbat]

....

 

[jc55]

I think your transom may not be that low...

 

[Ike-110722]

That's what splash wells are for. Slow down slower. Don't cut the throttle.

Plus that's a really big outboard. Is the HP what the manufacturer put on the capacity label? Boats under 20 ft are required to have a label with the maximum rated HP. In some states (Pennsylvania for instance) it is illegal to exceed the HP rating. If you hang too big an engine on there then it will sit too low in the water. The weight of that engine determines how much flotation they put in the boat. An 18 foot boat is supposed to have level flotation. That is, if your boat swamps (as you fear) it won't sink but will float upright and relatively level. Hang too big an engine back there and if it swamps, it will roll over and dump everyone in the drink. The weight of the engine is also part of the calculation of maximum weight capacity and persons capacity. If you exceed the HP rating you are also taking away some of the persons capacity (less people or dogs).

If it is the correct size then the manufacturer took the weight into consideration and you shouldn't have a problem.

Other than that as Dingbat said, pick your days.

Glad to see that at least your dog is wearing his life jacket.

 

[slowleak]

When I see an older boat sitting that low in the water I start checking for water soaked wood or foam inside the hull.
The part of the pic that catches my eye is the fact that at rest the swim step is underwater, and the rub rail is only about 4 inches from being under water. No boat that I've ever seen has ever been designed for the top/bottom seam between the hull halves to be underwater. That's a notorious place for leaks even when not that close to the water.
If I recall correctly, that hull is just under 1200 lbs and rated for up to 150 hp, so you should be fine with the size of the motor but I don't recall seeing one sit that low.
As mentioned before, the splash well is there to take the back wash or following seas and drain them back over the transom safely but if you exceed the splash well's capacity, things get ugly fast.
While it may be ok on a good day in the bay, all it takes is one instance of bad luck and you could be in big trouble.
Personally, I wouldn't put myself into that situation.
I'd also check into the condition of that hull.

 

[NYBo]

When I see an older boat sitting that low in the water I start checking for water soaked wood or foam inside the hull.
The part of the pic that catches my eye is the fact that at rest the swim step is underwater, and the rub rail is only about 4 inches from being under water. No boat that I've ever seen has ever been designed for the top/bottom seam between the hull halves to be underwater.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Texasmark]

Just a quick note. On the water over the transom, on coming off plane, don't chop the throttle all the way initially. Keep some (trial and error) power on until the following wave has caught up to you and then cut. Makes a huge difference.

That is a big body of water and sometimes weather can change in a heart beat. I wouldn't do it personally in that boat even though I used to fish regularly 10 miles off shore in a 13' boat. But I had some caveats: I fished due south and at 10 miles were a string of barrier islands so I had refuge. Second by running straight N and S with our prevailing winds from the S, it was head on and head into. My little boat had a wide flare on the bow, a deck and windshield. Not once did I have a problem. I did get caught out in squalls as in the summer down on the Gulf of Mexico, they were an every afternoon occurrence. But I had the island to protect me.

Good luck,
Mark

 

[dingbat]

That is a big body of water and sometimes weather can change in a heart beat. I wouldn't do it personally in that boat even though I used to fish regularly 10 miles off shore in a 13' boat.

Good luck,
Mark

Storms are not the problem in the upper Bay. The Bay is only a couple of miles across up there and very shallow. Hard ground is just off the marked channels. The bigger issue is the boat traffic. That area is entrance to the C&D ship canal and your sharing those narrow channels with Ocean Freighters. Boats with little to no freeboard and ocean going freighters don't get along well. The charts advise mariners to pay particular attention in the area due to strong wakes and washes caused by large vessels.

 

[smokeonthewater]

That is a flat water boat.... the person with the skill to safely operate that boat in those waters would be several years past asking this question.... That said, you absolutely deserve a pat on the back for having the forethought to ask!

Please don't take that as an insult... it isn't.... I have been boating for 30 years and in your boat I would be pretty confident that I COULD navigate those waters BUT I wouldn't choose to because that isn't what I consider fun..... That would be a day of having to be VERY vigilant and ready to react instantly at all times.... the slightest lapse of attention or slightest mistake could net you with 500 gallons of water on board and moments later another 500 that comes in SOOOO much easier due to the 1st 500 and suddenly your boat is swamped, batts and engine under water, you are hoping it doesn't turn over and PRAYING the big boats or ships coming at you can see you and manage to miss you.... Makes for a really bad day really quickly!

Imagine yourself lining up to cross a 3' wake and as you are about to hit is you see another 3' wake coming at you from the side 90* to the first one and a third combines with the first jumping up to a 5' wall of water in front of you and only seconds to deal with it before you also have to deal with the one coming from the side. Likely not an every day thing but not far fetched.... I used to (25 years ago) do a lot of boating on lake eerie and Sandusky bay and that shallow bay with all the BIG boats could be a real handful sometimes even in dead calm weather.... There were days that I could run wot for hours on the lake but felt like I was fighting to survive coming through the bay... this was an 18' starcraft center console fishing boat with a LOT more freeboard than your boat... There were plenty of times that I could have been in trouble real fast even in that one. You have MUCH bigger boats in there than I did too.

 

[dingbat]

Imagine yourself lining up to cross a 3' wake and as you are about to hit is you see another 3' wake coming at you from the side 90* to the first one and a third combines with the first jumping up to a 5' wall of water in front of you and only seconds to deal with it before you also have to deal with the one coming from the side. Likely not an every day thing but not far fetched..too.

That is pretty much the norm in tidal water. Wind, waves and tide

Btw: A 40' cruiser throws a 3' wake...400' freighters throw 8-10' wakes...lol

 

[Texasmark]

Pick your days and you'll be fine........ unless you get broadsided by a wake from a passing freighter, then all bets are off.

I think a guy was on here a while back that had such happen. He was in about a 25' boat as I recall, in such an area as you mention, and he said that the wake was so large that he could see the bottom in the troughs and that he smashed his head on his windshield and suffered some boat damage.

I fished in Galveston, TX. bay when a teen and had a 14' boat. The Houston Ship channel went through the bay and one day a tanker passed and I saw this ridge coming at me and realized it was the bow wake. Never had that happen before and fished it often. The bay was calm and that helped. I was about a mile from the ship but there were 3 waves and I approached them idling at 45 degrees.....didn't know what else to do. The span was such that the boat easily rode them out but in the troughs all I saw was water and it was much higher than my head. Scared me pretty good and I said that if I was ever out there again and saw a ridge coming, I would crank up and run the other way as fast as the boat would take me till I found shelter.

Mark

 

[Texasmark]

When I see an older boat sitting that low in the water I start checking for water soaked wood or foam inside the hull.
The part of the pic that catches my eye is the fact that at rest the swim step is underwater, and the rub rail is only about 4 inches from being under water. No boat that I've ever seen has ever been designed for the top/bottom seam between the hull halves to be underwater. That's a notorious place for leaks even when not that close to the water.
If I recall correctly, that hull is just under 1200 lbs and rated for up to 150 hp, so you should be fine with the size of the motor but I don't recall seeing one sit that low.
As mentioned before, the splash well is there to take the back wash or following seas and drain them back over the transom safely but if you exceed the splash well's capacity, things get ugly fast.
While it may be ok on a good day in the bay, all it takes is one instance of bad luck and you could be in big trouble.
Personally, I wouldn't put myself into that situation.
I'd also check into the condition of that hull.

Could be or could be the hull has a significant dead rise at the transom and if the engine only has a 20" shaft it could be as you see in the pic. But as stated, that's what the self draining splash well is for but since I can clearly see the boy's leg, this one doesn't seem to have one.

My 2c,
Mark

 

[Frank Acampora]

Once you get up around Turkey Point you will see fishermen in 12, 13, 14, and 15 foot boats. I personally have been all over the upper bay in an 18 foot closed bow runabout. If you use a little common sense ( which isn't very common) and practice a little seamanship you will be fine. Certainly a day trip to Baltimore or Annapolis is not out of the question.

 

[ssobol]

If the engine is a short shaft the motor would be lower on the transom. They would not lower the back of the boat (ballast?) to get the motor in the right place (probably wouldn't work right anyway). The swim step being significantly underwater with the boat at rest is a big clue that something ain't right. Another is that boat manufacturers don't usually make boats where the make/model is unreadable (i.e. underwater) when the boat is at rest. It does seem that the boat is sitting pretty low in the water in the 2nd picture (or the aspect ratio of the image is screwed up). Either the engine is too big, you are carrying too much fuel, or there is serious water intrusion at the back of the boat and you are carrying significant extra weight.

There are notes on the Chesapeake Bay charts (you looked at them, right) that warn about ship wakes especially near channel entrances. The wake from large ships can be 12' high. A 12' wave would be of concern to a boat 2x to 3x bigger than yours.

 

[SweeperForce]

Wow! I didn't expect this many awesome replies. You all gave me a lot to think about. Basically all I want to do is launch in the Susquehanna at Susquehanna Sate Park in Maryland, go ten miles down the river. At that point, the river meets the bay near the town of Havre De Grace. Cruise around the upper bay just to check it out and then go home.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Texasmark]

O If you use a little common sense ( which isn't very common)

Hey Frank. That's Bruce B's handle. Grin

But I totally agree......with both of you.

Mark

 

[Frank Acampora]

UH! Isn't Susquehanna State park above the dam? OR, Does it lack adequate launch facilities? The only good launch points I know of below the dam are: Point Deposit and Lapidum (which is much better) If you do launch at Lapidum, go straight out into the river toward Point Deposit about half way. About 1/3 of the way there is a rock spine which is one foot under water at high tide.. So, stay well to the port side going toward Havre de Grace.

If you are intending to stay that far north in the bay, you have no worries at all with your boat. AND--Looking at the photos, your complete power tilt/trim assembly is above water. Your boat certainly is NOT sitting too low in the water. Even in my 21 foot cuddy, the trim unit is usually in the water at rest.

 

[SweeperForce]

From what I understand lapidum launch is in Sus state park. I've been to that one and I see what you mean, it is very nice. Thanks for the heads up about the rocks didn't know they were there.
About the weight in my boat may change. I plan to add another 19 gallon tank in the stern which us roughly 150 pounds. But the trade off is, I have enough to room to put my pair of batteries under the fort seats. They weight in at 45 pound each. My main concern is you should keep you power wire as short as possible. So most people put them in the stern.

Thanks again,
Tom

 

[sean.deangelis]

I used to (25 years ago) do a lot of boating on lake eerie and Sandusky bay and that shallow bay with all the BIG boats could be a real handful sometimes even in dead calm weather.... There were days that I could run wot for hours on the lake but felt like I was fighting to survive coming through the bay... this was an 18' starcraft center console fishing boat with a LOT more freeboard than your boat... There were plenty of times that I could have been in trouble real fast even in that one. You have MUCH bigger boats in there than I did too.

+1. I'm VERY familiar with that part of Lake Erie from my childhood. My father used to take us through there in a 24ft Sea Ray Cuddy SV. Where the inlet narrows it was way sketchy. My father is a very experienced boater and very skilled and even he was hesitant at times.

Sweeper: You can probably pull it off with your boat and operating it very attentively/cautiously but you'd be really stressed.